Kicks, thrills and buzzes

All kicks, thrills and buzzes boil down to stimulation. And that boils down to being in an excited state – an elevated level of energy as compared to the norm. By definition, then, this is not a state you want to be in all of the time. It wouldn’t be natural. It wouldn’t be good for you. And yet the media and the advertising and our whole culture tell you that if a little of something is good, then of course more is better. I don’t subscribe to that notion.

For me especially, because I feel I’m already at a heightened tension (or am just more susceptible) I need to beware. Stimulation is not always positive, even in small and infrequent doses. It isn’t all that different in nature from trepidation, anxiety, fear, nervousness, irritation, exasperation, anger, violence and the like. What stimulation is – and I must explore that further – is a deeper penetration and identification with so-called physical reality – a more complete forgetfulness of our origin.

And so, too much excitement, socializing, drug-of-your-choice, food, pornography, books, study, work, speed . . . do you (me, at least) no good. Not more, not as much, but less than a little would do. It’s not that any of them are bad, but in large quantities they have an undesirable effect.